Have a Plan
- Whether it is football, triathlon, weight loss, or business, everyone needs a plan. A plan gives us a detailed road map of where we want to go. Without a plan we are at the mercy of our emotions and daily distractions. Bill Walsh, the famous football coach, started developing plans for specific situations back in the early 1980s. He had plans for the first few series of a game, red zone plans, 2 minute warning plans, 3rd down plans, etc. By developing plans he did not have to think as much when his emotions were at their highest. He simply put his plan into motion. We can create our own plans for specific situations in our lives. What will you do if people don't seem to understand your presentation? What will you do if you're trying to loss weight and you're invited to a birthday party?
- Develop a plan for what you will say and what you will do when challenges arise. What will you do mentally and physically if you get a flat tire, break a chain, drop your nutrition, develop a cramp? What will you do if it is really hot, raining, or windy?
- People think our emotions dictate our behavior. We're happy therefore we smile. However the opposite is also true. Our actions and our thinking (what we say to ourselves) can affect our physiology and our emotions. Try smiling and see how it makes you feel. Try telling yourself you are strong and capable.
- Develop a plan today.
- Goals can either be outcome based or process based. Outcome goals such as winning a race or qualifying for an elite race can motivate us, but they can also create anxiety. Process goals, on the other hand, are controllable and behavior focused. Outcome goals are much more subjective and at the mercy of the competition and environment. Michael Phelps may show up at a race and beat everyone. Likewise, it may be really hot or rainy on race day thus affecting your time.
- Outcome goals may help us wake up in the morning to train, but as the race approaches shift your focus to process goals. Focus on your technique, getting to a landmark, or simply running for the next 10 minutes. Process goals are beneficial in all aspects of life. Instead of focusing on finishing a project, focus on working for 30 or 60 minutes. Focus on the process and the outcome will take care of itself.
- The only way to truly manage anxiety is through exposure. By progressively exposing yourself to challenges, you become more comfortable with the situations. There may still be some anxiety, but it will not be debilitating. If you are afraid of running a marathon after cycling 112 miles, develop a plan then progressively exposure yourself to increasing levels of stress. Maybe you start with visual imagery, then do a short run after a long ride, building up to a long run after a long ride. As you progressively challenge yourself, your anxiety will go down. Use caution against progressing too fast or skipping steps. Will power and distraction will work in short bursts, but it will not change our association with the feared situation.
Bryan
